


A Different Ending

by kuonji



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Episode Related, Gen, Hopeful Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 15:49:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15710355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuonji/pseuds/kuonji
Summary: It was just as he'd always feared.  Without Ikuya, he might as well be nothing.  Sea foam on the breeze.  If he sank, truly, no one would save him.In a moment of impulse, Hiyori ruins everything.





	A Different Ending

The rounded rims of the metal slide under his hands were warmer than he'd expected, perhaps having trapped the last rays of the falling sun. They warmed even more as he gripped them hard, almost all of his weight on them. He was less than half a meter away from the body that he was leaning toward, the person that he always leaned toward. He thought he was going to lose his mind.

"Why can't you just forget about Nanase?" he demanded quietly, reining in his temper as he always did. Ikuya, so fragile and ethereal, could barely tolerate him now. He'd never accept Hiyori's real self. "I don't want to see you suffering anymore because of that jerk."

For the briefest of seconds, when he had first grabbed Ikuya's hand, he'd thought he'd seen surprise on the other boy's face. Now, Ikuya stared up at him, impassive as always. "I'll figure out my own problems on my own."

He was _tired_ of this. He was tired of trying, of chasing after a boy who never glanced over his shoulder at him. Hiyori was the one who supported him, stayed by him, gave up his voice and walked on knives just to be with him, and all Ikuya could see was someone else. Why couldn't Ikuya look at _him_ for once?

Before he'd thought it through, he'd closed the space between them.

Opposite to the slide, Ikuya's lips were cooler than he'd expected. They were chapped and tasted faintly of some kind of seafood. After a moment of shock, they began moving against him, and he answered eagerly, clumsily. This was his first kiss, he realized giddily. He'd never even imagined kissing anyone but Ikuya, his best friend, his savior, his prince. Ikuya, who was bucking under him and moving his lips more frantically now and--

Something wasn't right.

"--iwohi! _Hiyori!_ "

Pain stabbed Hiyori in the middle of his chest, and he was suddenly stumbling backwards. Ikuya surged up in front of him, hugely tall. He was _livid_ , and Hiyori had the momentary thought that this was the most passionate he'd ever seen Ikuya since they were children, or at least since before his training accident.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Ikuya's deep voice was measured and unshaking but frigid with rage.

Hiyori stared. He couldn't make his brain work, much less his mouth. "I-- I thought maybe--"

"Is this why you wanted to be 'friends' with me? Is this why you're so nice to me all the time? Did you think I'd feel sorry for you and take you in? Like some puppy? Like some lost child? I'm not here to take care of you, Hiyori."

"No!" He found his voice at last. "All I ever want is to make you happy. Truly." His heart was beating out of his chest.

"By doing _this_? What on Earth made you think I was that way?"

That seemed unfair. He'd been watching Ikuya since junior high. "You're obsessed with that Nanase. Don't tell me you're not. Your head's full of him. You can say you're not interested in me, but you can't deny that you want _him_."

Hiyori was watching Ikuya's every move, and so he saw the immediate confusion and incredulity cross the normally blank face of his oldest friend. (Were they still friends?)

"He's a swimmer. Like me. He's the swimmer I wanted to emulate when I was little and a swimmer I might have to compete with now. Of course I think about him. I thought, of all people, you would understand. But I was wrong. You're not even a real athlete, are you? You're probably only swimming because you wanted to follow me around." Ikuya's hands clenched into fists as he stared straight into Hiyori's face, which was so rare, and it was so unfair that it was happening now.

Hiyori didn't know what to say to make things better. He didn't know if there was such a string of words that existed at all.

Ikuya's right fist twitched, and Hiyori thought he was about to be punched -- but Ikuya only made a disgusted noise. Stepping off the slide, he left Hiyori behind.

Alone in the twilight.

Instead of forlornly watching Ikuya leave, Hiyori forced his eyes down. With the movement, his weight shifted suddenly on the uneven surface. He caught himself, but he had the urge to kick out, to strike at the guilty grains of sand. He reminded himself that he didn't want sand in his shoes. Carefully, as if stepping off a minefield, he moved one foot and then the other out of the concrete boundary. He tapped the sand off each shoe meticulously.

Hiyori went home.

***

The next day at swim practice, Ikuya didn't look at him.

With a pang, Hiyori realized that wasn't even unusual. Without him 'following Ikuya around', their paths didn't need to cross much. He only had to make one minor adjustment -- a request to focus on only his backstroke today instead of also practicing his freestyle -- and it became as if the two of them were strangers.

He was trying so hard to give Ikuya space that he honestly lost track of him, which was why fate was able to make him walk into the shower room just as Ikuya was leaving his stall, wearing only a towel.

"Ikuya!" He averted his eyes quickly, searching for a safe spot to rest them. "I didn't-- This--"

Ikuya sidestepped him and walked past, pausing only to say, without looking at him, "You're a disgusting creep. Stay away from me."

Hiyori could only be thankful that he hadn't said it loudly enough for anyone else to hear.

***

It was all his fault. He knew that. He shouldn't have -- _shit_ \-- he shouldn't have assaulted his friend. He shouldn't have pushed him about Nanase. He should have been paying better attention after practice so as to avoid running into him at the worst moment possible. He was unquestionably at fault.

And yet--

Something in Hiyori couldn't accept this. He'd been building his castle for too long to stand by calmly as it burned down around him.

Without conscious direction, his mind began racing through scenarios and fantasies, discarding some, reveling in others. It was a well-practiced machine that kept Hiyori from falling apart and evaporating day to day.

He skipped his afternoon class and as soon as he got home, he took out his phone, sat on his bed, took a deep breath, and opened his contacts.

"Hello? Touno-san?"

Although the person on the other end of the connection couldn't see him, Hiyori put on a polite smile. "Tachibana." He let the word hang for three seconds. Four.

"Yes? Did you need something? Is it to do with Ikuya?"

His grip tightened on his phone -- but he kept his smile and frowned in worry. "Yes, actually. Could we talk?"

***

It was too easy. That was the problem. That was what ruined things.

Hiyori had been planning to give Tachibana a sob story about Ikuya's worsening times and distracted focus, about how he'd regretted not letting him and Haru talk. If he read Tachibana correctly after the couple of times they'd met, he'd thought it'd be an easy thing to get Nanase's number. After that, considering how persistently the whole lot of them had been trying to talk to Ikuya this whole time, he'd surely be able to arrange to meet Nanase again, one on one.

But he'd misjudged Tachibana. The giant with fire in his eyes who had challenged him to a match despite having fallen out of training for months (who had nearly _won_ , the absolute bastard), was as soft as melted ice cream.

When he came to the park to meet with Hiyori, he brought Nanase along.

"Touno-san! Over here! Thank you for calling. If anything's happened, we're happy to help." Nanase, following a step behind and to the side, didn't speak or nod, merely stared with a disturbingly familiar stony expression.

Hiyori stared back. "Nanase," he intoned acidly, covering for his surprise.

Nanase didn't answer the greeting. For several awkward seconds, they faced off against one another. Finally, perhaps discerning Hiyori's confusion or perhaps just stuck in his rut, Nanase said, "Ikuya. I want to apologize to him."

Hiyori glanced around exaggeratedly. The three of them were alone. Not even the red-haired guy and the pink-haired guy seemed to be in evidence. "Ikuya isn't here."

Neither his gaze nor his tone changing, Nanase acknowledged, "I can see that."

Hiyori wanted to _murder_ him. It didn't matter anymore that Tachibana was here.

"Sooo, anyway." Tachibana stepped between them quickly. "What was it you wanted to tell us?"

"I asked to talk to you, not him," he accused hotly, completely losing the mask of the sad, worried friend that he'd been planning to use. He didn't even care that he was actively torpedoing his best chance to get Nanase alone.

"Well." Tachibana looked between them. Nanase continued to stare, blank-faced, at Hiyori. That condescending disdain was infuriating. "Now that he's here, though..."

"What does he care about Ikuya?" Hiyori demanded, gesturing widely with one arm. "He's the reason for what's wrong with Ikuya now!"

"What's wrong with him?" For a moment, Nanase looked worried. (Too little, too late.) Then he scowled. "Why won't you tell us anything useful? Why won't you let us meet?"

"Because you're a _curse_."

"That's not true, Touno-san." Again, Tachibana interposed himself between them, and this time his expression was different.

That triggered a memory. Hiyori remembered why Tachibana had offered to swim with him in the first place. He hadn't been jumping in to compete. Hiyori could have been anybody. Maybe even Ikuya hadn't mattered to him. Tachibana had wanted entirely and only to protect his friend.

"You're together," he realized.

Tachibana didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Wh-What are you saying? That's ridiculous." His face reddened as he waved his hands.

Nanase narrowed his eyes slightly. "Don't say things like that about Makoto."

Rage boiled up inside him. This-- This _person_ who had caused Ikuya so much pain. This piece of trash had _two_ people in love with him? And he didn't even care. That was obvious. He hadn't even glanced at 'Makoto' once. All he'd been talking about was Ikuya, Ikuya, nothing but Ikuya, and all he even wanted from Ikuya was a forgiveness that he didn't deserve. How dare he not love Ikuya back. How dare he not see what was in front of him. How dare he leave destruction in his wake and not even notice. This weak, talentless, callous son of a bitch. How _dare_ he?

He was on the ground. There was grass under his knees, a warm body under him. He heard a dull, fleshy sound. Nanase's head snapped to the side. He raised his fist again.

"Stop! Get away from him!" He was jerked backwards. He swung his fist anyway. It didn't connect. "Touno, I said, _stop_!"

The sky wrenched around. His legs tangled under him. Cold numbness spread from a point on his head, and his vision went red, then white, then black.

***

The next few hours were muddled and intermittent.

Hiyori remembered a woman asking his name and other questions. She told him he was in an ambulance and that he would be fine. Next, a light was shining in his eyes. People were talking around him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. Their voices sounded concerned but calm. He had a headache and his ears felt distended and stuffed up, and someone handed him a cup of water with a straw. A beeping sound woke him and he was in a bed that wasn't his. He was throwing up into a metal container. The place smelled like a hospital. Because it was one.

The first time he was awake and coherent for any good length of time, his aunt was in a chair next to him. "Oh, you're awake! That's wonderful!"

Hiyori tried to speak, but his tongue was thick and his mouth dry.

"I'll call the nurse. She told me I should stay until you woke up. I'm so sorry, Hiyori. I have to get back to work. Oh dear, I'm so worried that I'll get fired as it is. You remember how my boss is. I've taken care of the paperwork and everything. You can go home later today. You'll be all right on your own now, won't you? You're such a good, responsible boy."

Since she was already standing up, clutching her purse, Hiyori managed a slight nod.

Her hands fluttered toward him but didn't land. "Don't move your head! You've got a crack in it. The nurse will tell you." She performed a series of walking bows at a woman in a uniform shirt and white pants who was just coming in. "Thank you. Thank you for taking good care of my nephew." As she left, she remembered to say, "Don't forget to call your parents. They were so worried about you!"

Hiyori didn't need to answer because she was already out the door.

"Hello, Touno-san," the nurse greeted him. The honorific sounded odd, coming from an adult. "How are you feeling?"

He looked over at the three empty chairs scattered around the room. "More or less normal," he answered.

"That's good."

***

When he next opened his eyes, one of the seats was again occupied, this time not by his aunt.

He grunted, partly in surprise, and partly in an attempt at the person's multi-syllabic name.

"Oh, you're awake!"

Why was that always the first thing people said? It was so obvious and pointless an observation. "Why are you here?" This time, his mouth cooperated, though he garbled half the words.

Tachibana visibly hesitated. He seemed to be the type of person who showed every thought on his face. "I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean for you to get hurt."

Hiyori scoffed. He squinted at the table next to him and was gratified to see a cup of water next to his glasses. The latter, he put on. The former, he drained in a few gulps, conscious of Tachibana watching him the whole time. "Yes, you did," he said, putting the cup back on the table.

Tachibana shrugged. The noncommittal gesture fit surprisingly well on his broad shoulders. "Maybe a little. Certainly not a fractured skull." He stood and picked up a pitcher Hiyori hadn't noticed. "Oops." He spilled a little as he refilled Hiyori's cup.

Hiyori didn't drink.

Tachibana sat back down.

"Where's Nanase?"

"Do you remember what you did?"

"Vaguely." He mimed a weak punch.

Tachibana's face grew hard. "Swimming is all that Haru cares about. You could have taken that away from him."

"Have I?" He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Triumph? Vindication? Humor? (Guilt.)

Tachibana's stern expression persisted for a few more seconds. Then he huffed a soft sigh. "Temporarily. He's on break from training until the swelling goes down, and he won't be able to use a public pool until his lip heals."

The presiding pain in his head and the identity of his company as well as the subject of conversation made Hiyori irritable -- and blunt. "You're not a couple." It was something Hiyori had realized in the snippets of time while he'd been conscious. His brain had been putting together clues in the background, as usual, and he was sure of his conclusion. "You're not, but you want to be."

He'd expected Tachibana to flush and deny it, the way he had before. Instead, he matched Hiyori's gaze squarely, not giving anything away. Finally, he sighed. "We've known each other almost all our lives." Which wasn't an answer at all, and Tachibana knew it. He smiled, which made him look dopey yet not stupid. Like the shrug, it fit him.

"The first memory I have of Haru is when I must have been just two or three years old. I was playing in the sandbox, when all the kids ran away to look at something, leaving me alone. I tried to follow them, and I tripped and fell. Haru came back and helped me up, and then he was confused when I was so grateful to him. He still doesn't think anything of it, but I'll never forget that kindness."

Hiyori put his hands under the thin blanket, where he could ball them into fists. He kept his face placid and made his voice extra sarcastic as he remarked, "What an interesting bedtime story."

Ignoring him, Tachibana leaned forward slightly, his voice more earnest than it had a right to be. "That's the kind of person Haru is. I don't know what Ikuya has told you, but I think maybe you've had the wrong impression of Haru all this time."

Hiyori refused to say anything -- but his eyes strayed to the empty seats. He cursed inwardly and jerked his gaze back, sure that Tachibana wouldn't have missed that unguarded moment.

Tachibana's eyes were still soft from recounting his childhood memory. It was possible (but not probable) that he hadn't noticed Hiyori's lapse. "You care about Ikuya a lot, don't you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"You keep trying to keep us away from him, because you don't want him to get hurt."

"So, what? That's what friends do."

"Have you thought... perhaps you're the one who should stay away from Ikuya." _Perhaps you're the one who's hurting him_ , he didn't need to say. Tachibana could say a lot with few words, Hiyori was learning. Or maybe Hiyori was just reading too much into everything. Tachibana's eyes flicked up to Hiyori's head, and the bandage there suddenly began itching furiously. "And perhaps he should stay away from you, too."

"Get out," he snarled.

Tachibana seemed unfazed. He stood and picked up a messenger bag from the floor. "I hope we meet again in the pool, Touno-san. But perhaps not outside of it, for the time being."

He bowed to Hiyori -- the evil, mocking bastard -- and left.

***

"I'm sorry," he said for the fifth time.

"Stop apologizing. I just want an explanation. You care about Ikuya, too, don't you? Why the hell are you backing out all of a sudden?"

"I'm sorry," he said yet again.

"What am I supposed to do now? He must be stressed out for the meet coming up and I'm in South Dakota!"

At the moment, Hiyori didn't know or care where South Dakota was. The voice in his ear, as clear as modern technology could make it, was beginning to sound like a whiny mosquito. "I quit the swim team."

There was, finally, silence from the other end. Then, "What?"

"I quit. Today. I told them my studies were too busy and I couldn't manage it."

"You told them-- So what's the real reason?"

Hiyori opened his mouth to tell another lie, but then he changed his mind. What did it matter anymore? "I'm in love with Ikuya."

" _What?_ "

"Ikuya will tell you the details." _Call him, for fuck's sake. Look after your own brother yourself, for once._ He jabbed the End Call button and threw his phone across the bed. Instead of landing harmlessly on the mattress, it bounced off and skittered to the floor. He cursed as he heard the crack of it landing, but he didn't bother to get up to check if it was damaged.

It was just a phone. Unlike other things, it could be repaired.

Or replaced.

***

Without worrying about Ikuya to be the keel of his day, he fell into disarray. He couldn't concentrate in class, and he felt lost at lunchtime. When he should have gone to practice, time bared its teeth, ready to swallow him whole.

It was just as he'd always feared. Without Ikuya, he might as well be nothing. Sea foam on the breeze. If he sank, truly, no one would save him.

Damn it, he _hated_ that story.

He deleted all the numbers from his phone that might remind him of swimming and Ikuya. There were distressingly few, he realized. He _had_ been obsessed. He was hopeless. He was a fake. He was a menace.

He was a disgusting creep who needed to leave Ikuya alone.

***

The call came two days after he'd left the hospital. It wasn't a number he recognized, so he allowed it to go to voicemail. He didn't get around to checking it until late, when he was already lying in bed attempting to go to sleep.

_"Touno, you asshole. Where are you? I heard that you quit. What is that about?"_

The voice was so far away from the cool tones that Hiyori was used to that he didn't recognize it for a moment.

Captain Hoshikawa.

Hiyori sighed. Everyone was mad at him lately.

He was about to delete the message without listening to the rest of it, but he couldn't remember the right key combination for that and he didn't have the energy to search for it. Besides, there was always the slim chance that Hoshikawa might slip in some news about Ikuya...

(Yes, he was obsessed. He had to stop. But acknowledging it was a step in the right direction, wasn't it?)

_"We need your backstroke on the team, you idiot. Who are we going to replace you with? And your front crawl is getting good, too. The relay's coming up."_

Hiyori grimaced. Here it was. Hoshikawa was going to ask him to try to convince Ikuya to swim the relay again. Now that it was coming, he didn't want to hear it after all. He took the phone away from his ear, ready to hit the Off button. Hoshikawa's voice, irritated and loud, continued.

 _"I was hoping you would be the starter. Now that plan is screwed up to hell. You'd better take responsibility for that! I never thought you were a quitter. Whatever's got you messed up, you work it out, you hear me?"_ Hiyori raised the phone back to his ear just as Hoshikawa heaved a sigh. _"Or at least call me back and give me a proper explanation. I convinced Coach to withdraw your resignation for a week. If you change your mind, just let him or me know. Okay? I'll see you at practice, Touno. You better be there."_

Hiyori stayed still until the automated voice began reeling off his options. He lifted the phone away from his ear to save the message and end the call. Then he set it down on his chest and stared up at the dark ceiling.

***

_It has come to our attention that you have resigned from the athletic team for which you received your scholarship. Unfortunately, the scholarship must consequently be terminated. The disbursement for the current semester will be ... If there are any questions or corrections, please contact ..._

Hiyori stared in horror at the letter. He thought about his parents, working late hours every day, still, to provide for what costs his scholarship hadn't covered. He remembered receiving that first letter, in a large flat envelope and on much fancier paper, thicker stock with a gold foil seal, the school's logo embossed on the bottom corner. He remembered promising to himself that he would stop being a burden on his family, that he would make his own future.

He remembered being so excited about swimming on a university team -- so proud that they had wanted him. Him, Touno Hiyori (in bolded calligraphic typeface on the scholarship letter). Not Ikuya's friend. Not the Tounos' son. Him.

It took, luckily, only a few rings and two button presses before a human picked up.

After identifying himself and describing the letter he'd received, he put on his best, most gracious smile and told him, "I'm so sorry for the mistake, but we actually withdrew my resignation almost immediately. You should see that in the records. I'm not quitting the swim team. It's one of my favorite parts of university."

The words sounded glib, but they were every one of them true.

It _had_ been a terrible mistake, and he _did_ love swimming. He would go back. He would take his lumps from the coach and the captain and he would remake himself. He was going to train like never before. Nothing else (no one else) was going to matter.

***

"What _happened_ to you?"

"I fell and hit my head. Wasn't allowed to swim for at least a week," he replied for what felt like the thousandth time. He hadn't realized how prominent the bruises under his eyes still were. "I'm fine now."

"Correction: You're still not allowed to submerge your head or lift weights, but you can do some stretches and _maybe_ some kickboard practice if you feel up to it." Hoshikawa shooed away their teammates but took the time to throw a glare at him. He was still miffed at Hiyori for not telling anyone about the 'accident' and then overreacting by quitting the team. Thankfully, the team doctor had given Hiyori a positive prognosis. He should be back to regular training in a few weeks.

Even as the prior group left, two more guys came up to him.

"Where'd you go, Touno? We missed you at karaoke."

Hiyori had never noticed how many people even knew his name, much less missed him at events. It was bewildering, if rather nice.

As promised, he stayed on dry land, doing his stretches and being careful to move slo-o-o-wly while in the Coach's sight. Getting up from a forward bend still made his head throb, so he decided to be responsible and forgo the kickboard after all.

The whole practice, he tried to pretend he didn't notice Ikuya throwing glances at him.

He showered early to avoid the rush and this time it was him rushing out just as Ikuya came in. They stared at each other.

"Wait for me outside." Ikuya waited for him to nod before he continued on his way.

Shakily, Hiyori got dressed, then made his way to the benches in front of the sports facility. He wasn't sure if Ikuya had meant outside the building, outside the natatorium, or simply outside the shower room, so he picked the one that felt the most comfortable. He wasn't looking forward to this conversation, and if he could make a quick getaway, that was probably best.

Calming himself, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

"How bad does it hurt?"

Startled, Hiyori found himself at the edge of the bench and nearly falling off it before he'd consciously registered Ikuya's presence. "Uh. My head, you mean? It's not so bad."

Ikuya stood for a moment. Then he dropped his gym bag in the middle of the bench and sat on the other side of it. He looked down at the ground. "Haru." With his face turned away, he didn't see Hiyori's reaction. He cleared his throat and began again. "Nanase Haruka told me what happened. I told him what happened, too. He asked me if I regretted losing your friendship."

Hiyori had so many questions, but this last sentence immediately superseded all of them, riveting his whole attention. When Ikuya didn't go on, Hiyori asked, gently, hopefully, "Do you?"

Ikuya frowned slightly, which might be a full-on grimace on anyone else. "I've thought about it. My life. The last six years or so. Since I met you. I think maybe you have been a good friend to me. You take care of me. You try to cheer me up. You saved me that time, and you even came to the hospital. That's something only a really good friend does."

Hiyori couldn't believe it. These were exactly the words he had always longed to hear. "I tried to be a good friend, Ikuya. I honestly did. All I ever wanted is to help you."

"I never suspected how you felt. I didn't even know you were gay. Were we ever really friends, Hiyori?" Neither Ikuya's voice nor his expression changed. He moved his right foot enough to push a pebble slightly to the side.

Anxious not to ruin anything, Hiyori found himself woefully incoherent as he stumbled through an answer. "Of course. I didn't-- That came later. But I already-- Before that, you were already my most important friend."

Ikuya took a breath and let it out slowly. "I'm going to trust you on that. Because that sounded honest, and I still feel like I know you well enough to tell."

"You can trust me. I promise."

"Haru said I could give you another chance if I think it's important enough. He said some friendships are too precious to throw away, even over big problems. He said that some big problems can be solved." He raised his eyes. Hiyori felt pinned by those dangerous red eyes. "Just one chance, though. He said if you ever try to hurt me again, it would be better for both of us if you walk away." He looked away again. "He said that's what his friend told him."

Tachibana. The ridiculous sap.

"Haru thinks he deserved you hitting him. He's _wrong_."

The sudden feeling in Ikuya's voice made Hiyori grit his teeth. Even now, it was Haru, Haru, Haru.

But he would take it.

"I know." He tried to swallow the question back, but in the end he couldn't help asking, "Are you and Nanase friends now?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

Together but infinitely far apart, they stared out across the walkway that separated the sports facility from the social sciences hall. They were still for long enough that cicadas began to chorus in the tree above them.

"What I said about you not being a real athlete--" The chorus stopped. Ikuya continued looking outward. "I shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

Hiyori's fingers wanted to tighten on his legs. He settled for squeezing a fold of his pants and then letting go. "I shouldn't have... I shouldn't have kissed you, Ikuya." He forced his voice louder than a whisper. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

"Okay."

They stared outward some more, but it seemed they were a little closer this time, as if they were swimming in neighboring lanes, bisected from each other but touching the same water.

"So. Friends?"

When Hiyori looked over, Ikuya was looking back -- and he had one hand in the air between them.

Hiyori wondered if Ikuya remembered. If he would ever remember.

Then he told himself it didn't matter.

Then he told himself it _did_ matter, but it was less important than that this time around go better than the last.

He took Ikuya's hand. "Friends."

  
END.

**Author's Note:**

> I spent the first five episodes thinking, "Whoa, this Hiyori guy is _so creepy_!" I spent most of episode six thinking, "Hiyori is _still_ so creepy... but now I feel a little sorry for him, dammit." Just to be clear, this Hiyori is slightly OOC. I tried to keep his basic personality intact, but this is after all an AU where his feelings for Ikuya (which are clearly unhealthy in canon) are of a quality where he forces a kiss on him in that moment.
> 
> To be honest, the whole treatment of the Ikuya and Hiyori characters annoys me. I feel like they're trying to recreate MakoHaru Lite (or MakoHaru Dark, as the case may be). Without the two seasons of backstory and character development, however, their relationship is just random and strange and uncomfortable, like watching two strangers fight on the subway. But hey, Sousuke grew on me. Maybe these guys will, too.
> 
> * * *
> 
> If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:  
> [Good Eating](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13191771) (Free!), by kuonji  
> [Trapped](https://archiveofourown.org/works/214266) (Gundam SEED), by kuonji  
> [All Over But The Crying](https://archiveofourown.org/works/401503) (Stargate SG-1), by kuonji  
> [spoil](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15572751) (Free!), by Recluse  
> [Taking Care of You](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15364521) (Free!), by Phayte  
> [circulatory](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15697041) (Free!), by erzi


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